1961 Deluxe spec

Post by **Sidney'61** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:04 am

Hi,
Would anybody be able to shed any light on what extras you'd expect to find with the deluxe model in early 1961?

Thanks

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:24 am

Heater, over riders and not much else. Options included mirrors, radio, hub caps

Post by **jaekl** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:52 pm

Don't forget the leather seating surfaces, stainless door frames, and most importantly the passenger sun visor. You meant wheel rings not hup caps, right?. Or could you choose stainless steel versus chrome plated.
How about the number light cover? Travellers are typically chrome but I have a saloon that is chrome as well, but most are black.
Maybe I spoke too early on the leather. Many of our
'61' models were actually built in 59. I suspect the leather option was replaced by duotone seats for the true 61 model until the heat formed pleats were introduced in 64.

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:17 pm

Yep, wheel rings or beauty rings. '61 was duotone vinyl, as you say, leather was out by then and stainless door frames never fitted to 2 door saloons (in UK at least). Passenger visor, yep, forgot that one

Not sure about number plate lamps but was possibly a delux spec item (my non delux spec Traveller has black painted ones), they are so easily changed its difficult to know what was original.....

Post by **jaekl** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:43 pm

I can see the rationale of not using stainless door frames on the 2 door. They're a bit out of balance since the rear window just has the rubber seal. Did convertibles come both ways?
I pity the guys who had to assemble the door frames on the production line. Getting them in without scratching the paint takes some care - not your typical line worker.

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:00 pm

Need an expert to answer fully, but, early MM conv had chrome frames and I think later convs were just painted body colour. Only 2 doors with stainless frames were Travellers, AFAIK.....

Post by **Sidney'61** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:49 pm

The duo-tone interior only came in around october 1961, I'm pretty sure mine being march '61 would have had mono-tone.
Also, wasn't it only the minor million that had the chrome wheel rims.

Ah well, at least I do have the heater and over-riders.

Post by **MarkyB** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:49 pm

How about the ash trays?
Weren't they deluxe options?

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:30 pm

This type Andy - dealer fit options.....

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Post by **Sidney'61** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:55 pm

Ah I see, you don't see many of those around nowadays.

Post by **andrew.searston** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:43 am

so it an early 61 saloon

Post by **ASL642** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:38 am

Bull Motif still have a few sets.

Post by **ASL642** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:56 am

There are 2 sets on ebay at the mo

Post by **'61Morris** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:01 pm

Here's something that will throw a spanner in the works....I have a 1961 genuine Convertible. I ordered a Heritage Certificate which clearly states it was a Delux model, built on 23rd March 1961. It has a heater, overriders and windscreen washers (although the overriders and washers could have been added later of course). However, it only has ONE SUNVISOR on the driver's side!! Now, according to Ray Newell's book Original Morris Minor, it should have two sun visors if it is a Delux........

Post by **ASL642** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:37 pm

Perhaps it was built on a Friday!

Post by **'61Morris** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:55 pm

Probably! They just couldn't be a***d to fit two could they?!

Post by **Sidney'61** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:12 pm

Well mine has two visors, it was built on 30th may '61.

'61Morris, does your car's chassis number have a 'D' on the end? As although the heritage certificate says mine is a delux it doesn't have the signature 'D'.

Post by **ASL642** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:35 pm

Having seen the factory logs I think sometimes "D" could have been entered when the cars weren't de luxe. They are all handwritten and so open to mistake. It is these logs that are referred to when making up the Heritage Certificate.

Post by **'61Morris** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:35 pm

The chassis number does not have a "D" on the end. I recently sold a '61 2-Door Saloon which I believe was also a De-Luxe model but that didn't have a "D" on the end of the chassis number either. My 2-Door had two sunvisors (and the passenger one also had a vanity mirror which I believe was an option). It also had a heater, windscreen washers, overriders - and a fresh-air intake control under the parcel shelf which my Convertible does NOT have, even though it does have a heater! The Convertible has an empty ring under the shelf where the control is supposed to go through. Maybe it wasn't an original Delux after all and the Heritage certificate is wrong? Or maybe somebody removed the fresh-air intake control at some point?...

Post by **PSL184** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:29 pm

The fresh air intake was a change that came in with the later heaters fitted from '62 onwards (Minor 1000)